I have a boy, he is only 2.5 years old so he might be too young for me to worry about this, but he is constantly scared, of everything. He is scared of things that young children usually enjoy.

At his 2 year visit I mentioned to his pediatrician that he is terrified of going on swings (screams bloody murder if I even try to put him into one), of carousels, of amusement park rides in general, swings, those rope bridges they always have in playgrounds. I also mentioned that he screams and starts crying when people sing in unison. Songs on TV or the radio are fine but if someone sings to him, or at a birthday party, etc. he puts his head down and starts screaming.
She suggested that he might have sensitivity to sensory stimulation and that I could see a child psychologist if I wanted to but that he was probably too young to be concerned.

I did not pursue the topic further, however it seems like every day he is scared of more things.
He is scared of all insects, including little ants and flies. Halloween is nearing and I find him constantly getting spooked by toy spiders. He is scared of beeping sounds, like if the TV beeps from being turned on or my phone beeps from receiving a message he jumps up on me.

We had a really stressful episode today when he received a temporary tattoo in a gift bag at a birthday party and had a complete freak-out when I tried to put it on his arm, something that I obviously would never force him to do but thought he might enjoy.

Does this sound like a problem?
Insurance does not cover psychological evaluations unless the issues conflict with his everyday functioning, and I don't think this does, but he seems to be scared of everything that other children his age enjoy.
Is something wrong with him?
Should I be concerned?

Concerned yes, worried not yet. I think your son is showing signs of anxiety issues but that does not mean he has an anxiety disorder (disorders are far more severe than issues). Children who sufer from anxiety often suffer from sensory issues (the two seem to be co-morbid). There's lots of reading on the internet re anxious children - you might wish to google "anxiety and toddlers" or "GAD and young children" (GAD stands for Generalaized Anxiety Disorder) or "anxious toddlers" or similar words/phrases. Often the best thing you can do is gradually introduce him to those things he now feels fearful, but do keep in mind that it is probable that your son will be more timid than other children. This is not a bad thing. If these fears/anxieties increase or begin to negatively affect his life, then you will need to return to the family doctor. By the way, a psychologist should be able to give you a plan to better help your son learn how to manage his fears - he/she usually works with the parents and not with the child. But, at this point, you should be able to find help on the internet re postings, readings and lists of books which you can purchase for borrow from your library. All of this information you help you in helping your son. I wish you the best ...

Concerned yes, worried not yet. I think your son is showing signs of anxiety issues but that does not mean he has an anxiety disorder (disorders are far more severe than issues). Children who sufer from anxiety often suffer from sensory issues (the two seem to be co-morbid). There's lots of reading on the internet re anxious children - you might wish to google "anxiety and toddlers" or "GAD and young children" (GAD stands for Generalaized Anxiety Disorder) or "anxious toddlers" or similar words/phrases. Often the best thing you can do is gradually introduce him to those things he now feels fearful, but do keep in mind that it is probable that your son will be more timid than other children. This is not a bad thing. If these fears/anxieties increase or begin to negatively affect his life, then you will need to return to the family doctor. By the way, a psychologist should be able to give you a plan to better help your son learn how to manage his fears - he/she usually works with the parents and not with the child. But, at this point, you should be able to find help on the internet re postings, readings and lists of books which you can purchase for borrow from your library. All of this information you help you in helping your son. I wish you the best ...

I have a boy, he is only 2.5 years old so he might be too young for me to worry about this, but he is constantly scared, of everything. He is scared of things that young children usually enjoy.

At his 2 year visit I mentioned to his pediatrician that he is terrified of going on swings (screams bloody murder if I even try to put him into one), of carousels, of amusement park rides in general, swings, those rope bridges they always have in playgrounds. I also mentioned that he screams and starts crying when people sing in unison. Songs on TV or the radio are fine but if someone sings to him, or at a birthday party, etc. he puts his head down and starts screaming.
She suggested that he might have sensitivity to sensory stimulation and that I could see a child psychologist if I wanted to but that he was probably too young to be concerned.

I did not pursue the topic further, however it seems like every day he is scared of more things.
He is scared of all insects, including little ants and flies. Halloween is nearing and I find him constantly getting spooked by toy spiders. He is scared of beeping sounds, like if the TV beeps from being turned on or my phone beeps from receiving a message he jumps up on me.

We had a really stressful episode today when he received a temporary tattoo in a gift bag at a birthday party and had a complete freak-out when I tried to put it on his arm, something that I obviously would never force him to do but thought he might enjoy.

Does this sound like a problem?
Insurance does not cover psychological evaluations unless the issues conflict with his everyday functioning, and I don't think this does, but he seems to be scared of everything that other children his age enjoy.
Is something wrong with him?
Should I be concerned?

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